Sunset Boulevard

Glenn Close will be returning to Broadway in Sunset Boulevard to reprise a role she played previously to acclaim. Close mesmerized audiences in the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in 1994. She played the role again in London in 2016 and will return to Broadway for a limited engagement run of 16 weeks at the Palace Theatre starting in February 2017.

Previous Productions of Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is based on a 1950 film that starred Gloria Swanson and was directed by Billy Wilder. It tells the story of a woman who is aging and the effect that Hollywood can have on fragile people.

The role of Norma Desmond was originally played in London in the 1990s by Patti LuPone. She was promised the role on Broadway, but the producers changed their minds and decide to cast Glenn Close in the role after seeing her performance in a production in Los Angeles.

Close earned rave reviews for her performance in 1994 and won a 1995 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Sunset Boulevard won six other Tonys that year, including Best New Musical. A London production starring Close was staged in 2016 at the English National Opera and was directed by Lonny Price, who will also direct the Broadway musical.

Upcoming Broadway Production of Sunset Boulevard

The Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard is scheduled to begin previews on February 2 and to open on February 9. It will be performed seven times per week instead of the usual eight. Close is expected to perform in all of the shows.

The book and lyrics were written by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard will be produced by Paul Blake and Mike Bosner, who also produced Beautiful.

The New York show will have a 40-piece orchestra and a less elaborate set than the 1994 production. The set will consist of scaffolding on a sound stage so the audience can focus on the story and the music.

Close said in an interview that she felt privileged to play such a rich and iconic role again 22 years after her first performance. She feels she has learned a lot and grown as an actress in the interim.

The transfer of Sunset Boulevard to Broadway will mean that the musical’s composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, will have four shows performed on Broadway simultaneously. He also wrote the scores for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and School of Rock.

Order Tickets to See Sunset Boulevard on Broadway

OnBroadway.com has tickets available for upcoming performances of Sunset Boulevard, starring Tony Award winner Glenn Close. This is a limited engagement production that will likely sell out, so order your tickets today.